Improvement in boxes for water-closet paper



P. O. DAWSON. Boxes for Water-Closet Paper.

No. 205,841. Patented July 9,1878.

C ///////////////////Ak1!|ll|lllllIII' FIG-2| INVENTOR- ATT EST- NIEIENS. PNOTO LITHDGRAFHER. WASHINGYON, D C- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK O. DAWSON, OF PROVIDENCE, tHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOXES FOR WATER-CLOSET PAPER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,841, dated July 9, 197 application filed December 24, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK O. DAWSON, of the city and county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and Improved Box for Water-Closet Paper, of which the following is a specification:

This invention is designed to check the needless waste of water-closetpaper by careless and inconsiderate persons, and to protect it from being pilfered or wantonly destroyed.

The object is to secure a quantity of the paper in a box or receptacle in such a manner that it can be readily taken out sheet by sheet, while it is at the same time rendered difficult to grasp a larger quantity at once. This is accomplished by a table of about the same superficial dimensions as a sheet of the paper, and a cover to the same resembling an inverted box, constructed to shut down over the table.

A package or more of the water-closet paper, cut in sheets as it is ordinarily found in market, is placed on the table, the cover is placed over it, having sides deep enough to cover the paper, and an aperture from which to withdraw the paper a sheet at a time or in very small quantities. As the package diminishes the cover follows down, always resting on the paper as long as any remains, and it is prevented from being lifted by a ratchet or pawl and ratchet -bar at each end, the ratchet being controlled by a look, by means of which the pawls' can be thrown into contact with the teeth of the ratchet-bar, so as to engage them, or entirely disengaged from the teeth to enable the cover to be removed.

Figure 1 is a view of my invention with a portion of the cover broken away, showing the ratchet-bar and the paper inside. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of inside of one end of the cover.

T is the table; 1?, the paper; and O, the cover, having a ratchet-bar, r, at each end. The pawls p are so hung as to engage the ratchet-bar. When it is desired to disengage them and liberate the cover, the rods (1 are thrown forward by turning the tumbler b by means of a key swinging up the long end of the pawls and withdrawing the points of the same from the teeth.

An aperture, A, is provided in some part of the cover, of a size to give sufficient access to the paper. The top of the cover being always down close to the paper little opportunity is afforded to grasp a large quantity.

Instead of allowing the whole surface of the top of the cover to rest upon. the paper, bearings 8, consisting of a bar across each end of the cover, on the inside, or one or more blocks, k, may be used in such a position that the weight of the cover will bear on points remote from the opening, leaving the top sheets of the paper lying more loosely, where they are to be grasped.

Secured in the position described the paper is taken out sheet by sheet by the thumb and finger, as shown in Fig. 1, or the sheets may be partially withdrawn, so as to be easily taken in the hand by using a piece of rubber or any article having a surface that will create a slight friction on the paper.

The table should rest on legs or some kind of supports of sufficient height to allow the sides of the cover room for the necessary travel.

The aperture A may be in the middle of the top, as shown in the drawing, or at or near one end or one corner of the top, and obviously the size of the aperture, the weight of the cover, and the points of bearing can be arranged at pleasure to increase or diminish the difficulty of extracting the paper.

It will be seen that as the quantity of paper is reduced in the box the top and bottom of the box approach each other, so that the box is always full if it contains any, and also these parts are locked or held in such a manner that they cannot be drawn apart until released by unlocking.

Springs operating against the bottom of the table would obviously produce the same left free to move upgradually approach each other as the paper is withdrawn, and remaining constantly locked in whatever position they may be while gradually closing together.

PATRICK (l. DAWSON.

\Vitnesses:

WM. 11. BAKER, ()sml: LArnAM. 

